


The Fourth Era

by IslandOnce



Series: Quests of the Nine [2]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Fantasy AU, Magic, Skyrim - Freeform, Supernatural - Freeform, kinda crack... sometimes, other characters will be making appearances
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2019-11-13 20:02:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18038003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IslandOnce/pseuds/IslandOnce
Summary: Nayeon is finally living, Jeongeyon is busy crafting, Momo is spell casting, Sana is out plundering, Jihyo is lonely drinking, Mina is inside reading, Dahyun is sneaky thieving, Chaeyoung is pack hunting, and Tzuyu is dragon killing.Keep up with the adventures of nine powerful women as they try to fulfill their destinies.





	1. Pre sa

**Author's Note:**

> This is a book of one-shots that are canon to my other fantasy fic, Oblivion. For most of these stories to make sense, you will need to read that first.
> 
> The updates will be random because I am still doing the education part of life which means I will write when I have the time and I feel inspired. If I'm taking to long to update for your liking, go to my Instagram (islandonce) and yell at me. 

If there was one thing Sana had learned from her experiences in prison cells it’s that having absolutely nothing to do… is really fucking boring! Sometimes she’s lucky to find a few rocks to stack and knock down. Other days she makes shadow puppets in the torchlight. The best days are when she traps the guards in conversation. She asks them about their lives and they either ignore her or they tell her about their family. She likes to smooth talk her way into finding out where they live and how much money they make. All so she can find and ransack her “prison pal’s” house once she’s finished serving her sentence.

 

But most of her time in prison is spent alone with her thoughts, and that can be dangerous at times. The cold cells she often finds herself in remind her of the long nights spent camping out in the freezing tundra after she was kicked out of her home. She loved her parents, she really did, but her childhood was made up of more bad decisions than good ones. Windhelm is not the most forgiving city to grow up in. A girl makes a few poor friend choices and soon the city guard are knocking on her parent's door to tell them their daughter had been caught selling drugs in the Grey Quarter. In her defense, she was trying to make enough money to help her father pay for their home after he broke his leg working down at the docks.

 

It wasn’t her first offense either. Back to the poor friend choices, Khajiit often find themselves in legal trouble because of racial prejudice yet Sana always found herself spending hours with the feline creatures. The group of rowdy eleven-year-olds never got into much trouble, not until their teen years. One day J'zargo had shown up to their usual hang out spot with a pouch full of small white crystals. He said he had seen his father eat them after coming home from work and that they made him all relaxed. Naturally, the young Khajiit had been curious enough to sneak a few when his father wasn’t paying attention and bring them to show his friends.

 

One thing led to another and the whole group each held one of the small rocks in their hand. J’zargo was the first one to eat his. Everyone waited for his reaction before eating their own. Sana had never been high before and the euphoric state was something she could get used to. The group spent the next few hours giggling and pointing at random things in the city before exhaustion caused them to pass out in one of the Khajiit’s homes. Ingesting soon turned into producing and producing soon turned into selling. They created a name for themselves, drawing in clients and even selling on the black market. But some had it worse than others.

 

Instead of selling the drugs, they would use it. And everyone knows that you’re not supposed to get addicted to your own product. Sana tried to help her friends but they were too far gone. They became addicted and were quick to blame others when trouble arose. That's how they threw Sana under the carriage. The sixteen-year-old was in the middle of a deal with a client when the city guard surrounded her and arrested her for the possession of illegal substances. As she was dragged to the city prison, she saw her friends Dro’Zel and Dro’Zira getting hefty bags of gold handed to them by the guards who arrested her.

 

From that day on she stayed away from the drug business, industry, world. Anything involving an addictive substance was removed from her life. Of course, not everything was permanent though. Alcohol had soon become her new friend. Every bounty the woman completed was another night spent at whatever bar was the closest. Mead, ale, wine, anything fermented and poured into a goblet was fine by her. Eventually, her previous life caught up to her and she met J’zargo three years after she had been kicked out by her parents. The two met in Riften, Sana a sell-sword, J’zargo a traveling peddler. He was one of the few who was smart enough to not over-indulge himself. They had met at the local inn, The Bee And The Barb, both looking for a place to stay for the night.

 

“Minatozaki Sana, It has been a long time since J’zargo has seen you.” The human-sized feline slid into the seat across from the armored woman.

 

“What do you want, cat.” Sana crossed her arms and gave the Khajiit a glare.

 

“J’zargo just wants to catch up. J’zargo is curious to know what you have been doing.” He mirrored her actions and crossed his own furry arms.

 

“I’ve been traveling around, meeting new people, doing a few jobs here and there… you?”

 

“J’zargo has been traveling as well, but mostly to sell.”

 

“You’re still in the business?” Sana’s heart broke a little hearing that her childhood friend was still in the involved in the world of drugs.

 

“Yes… J’zargo is trying to leave that life behind, but… it is hard for J’zargo. Many know of the Windhelm drug gang, therefore, many know of J’zargo.” The large ears atop his head drooped down in sadness.

 

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

 

“But seeing how you have changed gives J’zargo hope. Hope that J’zargo too can change for the better.”

 

Sana smiled at the Khajiit and the two continued speaking into the night. One bottle of wine soon became three and the two found themselves on top of one of the many wooden roofs in the city. Sana was too far under the influence to notice J’zargo pull out a small turquoise flask. The feline poured the clear substance into their two tankards and handed one to the intoxicated woman.

 

“To friendship,” J’zargo toasted.

 

“To friendship,” Sana slurred as she clinked her metal mug against his.

 

Both swallowed the liquid in one gulp and blissfully leaned back against the roof before blacking out. Sana woke up the next morning with the worst hangover she’d ever had. It took her a few moments to realize she was, in fact, not in a bed and instead was instead floating down a river on top of a wooden door. The next time she saw J’zargo she made sure to punch him in the face for slipping Skooma into her drink. In her opinion, the feline looked much better with two swollen black eyes and a broken nose.

 

But there were good days too. Days when the sun would shine through the small window of her cell, bringing back memories of past adventures. Fighting her way up an old tower side by side with a pretty witch, whose mother happened to be the leader of a cult. Getting paid a large sum to sabotage a brewing company by poisoning their product. Helping the gorgeous shorthaired blacksmith in Whiterun by giving a specially crafted sword to her judgmental father. But out of all her adventures, Sana’s favorite would have to be how she met two of her crew members; Jisoo and Jennie.

 

Although the circumstances were not the best at the time, the people she shared the adventure with made up for the previous choices made. The day started off gloomy. But Falkreath was always gloomy so that was to be expected, however, Sana was not expecting a body to smash into her side. The two tumbled to the ground getting covered mud as they rolled into a shallow puddle. Sana was quick to turn and pull the muddy person out of the puddle by the collar of their shirt and raise them into the air.

 

“What the fuck do you think you doing!” She angrily shook them as they held on to her arms.

 

“Please don’t hurt me!” her assailant squealed with a high pitched voice.

 

“I hope you have a good reason for ruining my morning.” Sana stared into the woman’s wide eyes.

 

And she did. Sana learned that the mud puddle lady, who was named Jisoo, had just run in from the thick woods surrounding the town and was searching for anyone willing to help her. With a little persuasion and a promise of gold, Sana agreed to help Jisoo. Turns out Jisoo and another woman named Jennie had been camping in the woods nearby. The two were also sell-swords just like Sana but they hadn’t been making enough money to spend a night comfortably in one of the major cities. While they were taking turns sleeping and the other was keeping watch for wildlife, a group of very quiet people had snuck up on the campsite and grabbed a sleeping Jennie out of the tent. Jisoo was alerted of their presence when one of the kidnappers stepped on a stick. They had moved faster than any normal human should when running away from a shouting Jisoo and up towards a snow-covered mountain.

 

So instead of continuing up the mountainside after her partner, Jisoo hurried back down towards Falkreath. She was so tired from chasing the kidnappers that she hadn’t been paying as much attention as she should have and, accidentally, tackled Sana into the mud. Jisoo led Sana to her campsite where the two tried to look for any sort of clue as to why Jennie had been kidnapped. When nothing was found, they began the trek up the mountainside. They slowly made their way up the mountainside until they found a secret path that seemed well traveled. The two looked at each other before shrugging and following the path.

 

Jisoo might have seemed weird to many people, but she and Sana got along rather well. The shorter woman had unconsciously started humming during the climb up the mountain but Sana didn’t mind the noise. In fact, she genially enjoyed it. The tune reminded her of one of the songs she had heard a bard drunkenly singing in a bar. After quite a bit of humming, Sana asked Jisoo if she was interested in becoming a bard. The shorter had told her no which kind of surprised her since the humming eventually turned into Jisoo making up random lyrics about their surroundings as they ascended up the mountainside. When she asked why Jisoo told her she didn’t like how they made you learn an instrument. She claimed that if she was forced to carry around a flute or drum then she wouldn’t be able to show her unmatched dancing skills. The shorter then demonstrated one of her trademarked moves where she pointed her fingers at Sana and pretend to shoot things at her while shaking her head side to side.

 

“DDU-DU DDU-DU!”

 

“Why did I agree to climb up a mountain for you again?” Sana laughed at Jisoo as she continued to wave her arms back and forth and dance around the top of a cliff.

 

The two finally found a cave along the side of the icy mountainside. Jisoo was positive that Jennie had been taken inside and was quick to approach the entrance, however she was pulled back by Sana who was pointing to some suggestive outside decorations. Bloody rib cages and skulls had been jammed onto stakes outside the cave and the snow leading inside clearly had streaks of blood from bodies that had been dragged. Whether it had been in or out was unclear.All that mattered was that someone or multiple someones had made a clear effort to keep people out of the cave. Jisoo ignored the warnings once more and stared into the cave. Sana frowned but followed anyway with her sword drawn.

 

Turns out there was good news and bad news for the two heroes. The good news was that Jennie's kidnappers were not bandits so they weren’t armored or carrying swords. The bad news was… they were vampires.

 

The two women fought their way through more than 15 vampires and their thralls inside an extremely cold cave in the mountains. Thankful neither had been infected with vampirism as they quietly entered a large cavern where another group of vampires stood around a statue. In front of them, a woman had been bound and lay struggling at the foot of the statue as if she were an offering.

 

“Jennie!” Jisoo, much to Sana’s dismay, loudly announced their presence then jumped onto one of the vampires back while digging her sword into his flesh. Sana followed suit and began hacking away at the undead. She made sure to decapitate all of her enemies so the other vampires couldn’t perform dark magic and make the limp bodies rise to fight once more. After all the vampires lay headless on the cave floor, both Sana and Jisoo stood panting and covered in dark black blood. Sana sheather her bloody weapon while Jisoo used her own to cut Jennie free. Jisoo tried to embrace Jennie in a hug but the woman pushed her away not wanting vampire blood on her as well.

 

“Jennie, are you alright? I was so worried.” Jisoo said as she tried to wipe some of the blood off her face.

 

“Yes, thank you so much, Jisoo and…who are you?”

 

“Sana.” The tallest said as she too tied to wipe the sticky blood from herself.

 

_“Hahahahaha.”_

 

A nasally voice echoed around the cavern.

 

“What was that?” All the woman stood back to back as they searched through the cave for the source of the voice.

 

_“Foolish mortals, do you not know the Daedric Prince of power, trickery, and wishes when he is right in front of you?”_

 

All three turned towards the giant statue. The enormous stone man raising his hand that Jennie had previously laying in front of had come to life. His eyes glowed a bright emerald green and his hands were now placed on his hips. He cocked his head to the side as he looked over the women below him.

 

“Clavicus Vile? As in the Daedra that grants wishes?”

 

_“That is correct… but if you are not specific with your desires, they may not turn out as you hope.”_

 

The stone man’s lips smirked and he leaned against the back wall with his arms crossed.

 

“Let’s get out of here… I don’t like the look he’s giving us.” Jisoo pulled on both Jennie and Sana by their clothes and tried to leave. But one of the women stepped forward.

 

“Lord Vile, I have a request of you.” Sana took a step forward towards the stone prince.

 

 _"By all means, let's hear it. It's the least I could do since you already helped me grant one final wish for my last worshippers…”_ Vile knowingly smiled down at the three, _“They were suffering from vampirism, and begged me for a cure. Then you came in and ended their misery! I couldn't have planned it better myself. So, what's your heart's desire? What kind of deal can we strike?”_

 

Sana was tempted to ask for gold or gems. Maybe the power to crush all her enemies. Even the idea of wishing for the end of the civil war crossed her mind but she changes her mind and asks for something that had been bothering her for her entire life.

 

“I wish for a successful and happy future.”

 

 _“How boring!”_ Vile stood from the wall and crouched in front of Sana, _“You don’t want power? Eternal life? Money? You, mortals, are always so greedy for wealth… are you sure? You can change your mind right now?”_

 

“No, I don’t want to change my mind.”

 

_"Hrmph, you're no fun at all. Fine then… you will have a successful and happy future.”_

 

Sana smirked back at the statue and then left the cave with Jisoo and Jennie. The three agreed to travel around for a bit since Jisoo and Sana had become somewhat friends. While Jennie was still a bit cautious of this new woman, she let her stay since Jisoo’s dancing and singing hadn’t driven her crazy… yet.

 

Most would consider a frozen cave full of hunger vampires a bad memory, but not Minatozaki Sana. She had met two of her closest friends in that cave and guaranteed herself a great future in the process. What the bandit failed to hear was the rest of her prophecy from Clavicus Vile. He had waited until she had left the cave to finish granting her wish.

 

_“You will have a successful and happy future… after you face the worst of the worst, lowest of lows. Your life will be full of failure as you fight against the forever chill that covers this land. Only then, will the sun’s rays begin to melt the icy walls around you.”_


	2. lightning in a Momo (pre mo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some info about Momo's past. Not everything was perfect for our pretty little piglet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry about the long wait. I was working on a timeline before I began posting all willy-nilly.  
> also, golf and school made finding time to write slightly difficult. (I pretty bad at time management)
> 
> but now I'm back and feeling slightly inspired so hopefully, I will update more and often.

~ ~ ~

 

Magic was easy. Or, at least it was for Hirai Momo.

 

She had been born into a family that practiced the art every day. Momo’s mother was an extremely talented mage, so talented that she had been given the title of court wizard back in Momo’s home town. Momo’s father shared his wife’s passion and could perform a few spells here and there. And the Hirai family was by no means poor. They lived in Cyrodiil in one of the wealthiest cities in the region. Mrs. Hirai would work out of the jarl’s palace while Mr. Hirai stayed home to watch over his two daughters. Hana had never shown much interest in magic and instead took alchemy. Momo was the complete opposite.

 

Every day, little Momo would wake up to just her and her father. Hana would rise early to wander through the city to collect ingredients for potions, and Mrs. Hirai always left early to go to the huge building where the jarl lived. All the members of the court had a soft spot for little Momo and offered her treats and toys whenever she came to see her mother. When Momo began practicing magic she was a natural. Her mother trained her from a young age to control the six different types of magic skills: destruction, restoration, conjuration, illusion, alteration, and enchanting. By Momo’s thirteenth birthday she had almost mastered destruction magic. She had complete control over both fire and ice magic, however, lighting was proving to be more difficult. Even her mother had not mastered the art of lightning magic so she had to watch as her youngest daughter pushed herself to her limit. At the age of 15, Momo was known all throughout Cyrodiil for her natural ability to wield all six magic skills. Momo’s own mother had even told her that there was nothing left she could teach her. However, lightning magic still alluded her.

 

One day Hana had planted the idea in her little sister’s head to travel to the neighboring country where the famous College of Winterhold was. When she told both her parents, they weren’t very excited about the idea. They were scared to send their youngest daughter over to another country alone. But after a few days to think over Momo’s proposal, they gave in and provided the 17-year-old with enough gold to pay for the trip. Momo left the next day excited for all the new discoveries she was going to make. The trip was relatively uneventful. Again, Momo had become a bit of a celebrity in Cyrodiil, so when the city folk heard about Momo’s departure they created a going away party. Her walk through the streets of the city was very joyful and colorful as residents hung banners and gifted her food for her journey.

 

Once out of the city, Momo used the transportation money her parents had given her to purchase a steed. The chestnut horse was very well trained and the two easily made the trip to the border. Once they had safely made it to the edge of the country, Momo was surprised to see the large numbers of guards. She knew of Helgen but she never expected that the small town near the border would be so heavily armed. She trotted her way down the hillside looking out across the new places she had yet to explore. The chill of the land was immediate. Cyrodiil was cold but it was nothing compared to the temperature here. The cold reached all the way into Momo’s bones. She just hoped that Peko, her horse, was not too cold as well. The two safely made it to the small fishing town of Riverwood by nightfall. Momo had paid for a room in the Sleeping Giant Inn then began mingling. She spoke with the Innkeeper, Amber, and learned that Riverwood was a frequent stopping point for travelers on their way to Whiterun. When Momo told her how she was traveling to Winterhold, Amber suggested that Momo should make a stop at Whiterun and purchase food and water there. Momo thanked her and retired for the night.

 

Momo tried her best to sleep that night but the excitement running through her veins was too much for her body to hand and the young mage didn’t fall unconscious until late in the night, or early in the morning. All that mattered to Momo once she woke up was making the rest of the trip to Winterhold. But first, she followed Amber’s advice and made a pit-stop in Whiterun. Well, even before that, she was distracted when making it into the actual city.

 

As Momo and Peko trotted by one of the many farms littering the land, a great commotion caused Peko to become fidgety and uneasy. The horse had a right to be wary for a group of mercenaries, or so Momo assumed, had surrounded a giant and were in the middle of forcing it off some crops. It swung its cleaver, which was an uprooted tree, at the men and women surrounding it. Large craters could be seen where the giant had smashed its cleaver in an attempt to squish the attackers. Those closest to the giant would dash in and slash at the giant’s legs while another woman stood further back firing arrows at the giant’s head. It seemed that the group of humans had the advantage until the giant slammed down its cleaver, knocking over everyone who was close by. Just as it was about to swing its weapon down onto one of the men, Momo jumped off Peko and launched a fireball out of her hands straight towards the giant’s head. The huge creature stumbled backwards blinded from the heat of the spell and fell onto its knees. One of the fallen mercenaries quickly scrambled up to her feet and plunged her longsword into the giant’s abdomen.

 

The giant collapsed lifeless onto the soil and the group of men and women cheered loudly with joy. As the group celebrated and Momo returned back to Peko, the woman who struck the killing blow on the giant called out to her.

 

“You handle yourself well, you could make for a decent shield sister,” the woman leaned against her longsword as she spoke with Momo. The whole image this woman gave off was intimidating. Her armor had wolves engraved along the chest plate and gauntlets, even the boots gave off a wolf vibe. Her long straight platinum hair and sharp fox-like features made 17-year-old Momo shiver in her robes.

 

“Stop it, Hyojin. You’re scaring the poor girl,” another woman had left the gleeful group and had an arm wrapped around the platinum blonde. She was also adorned in the wolfish armor but instead sported a head of umber brown locks that ran past her shoulders. She was the single archer that Momo had seen hanging further behind but still assisting in the battle.

 

“I am doing nothing of the sort, Hani. I just asked her a simple question.” Hyojin forcefully removed Hani’s arm around her back and pushed the other away.

 

“Thank you… I guess, but what is a shield sister?”

 

“An outsider, eh? Never heard of the Companions?” Hani dusted herself off and threw a glare at Hyojin before continuing, “we are an order of warriors, brothers, and sisters in honor.” The archer flashed a greasy smile down at Momo.

 

“We show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough,” Hyojin scoffed and began cleaning her longsword of giant blood.

 

“Sounds interesting but I am not looking to join a fighting guild anytime soon. I am on my way to the College of Winterhold,” Momo politely declined the two warriors with a smile and a bow.

 

“Alright then, but if you change your mind about the Companions you should speak with our Harbinger, Lee Sunmi, up in Jorrvaskr,” Hani pointed up towards the high stone walls surrounding Whiterun at a large wooden shape that could barely be seen over the bricks.

 

Momo bowed once more before mounting Peko and continuing up towards the city. Her stop was quick, she only wandered around a few busy streets before purchasing all her necessity’s from the plaza market. And she was off once more. She returned back past the farm where she had last seen the Companions, but now only the giant’s corpse remained. The wildlife would be quick to clean the mess left and then the farmer would be free to do as he wished with the giant’s skeleton.

 

As Momo continued north, the weather became colder and colder, if that was possible. She eventually had to cast a heating spell in her hands that she used to rub over Peko. The steed was very appreciative of Momo’s attempt at keeping them both warm and pushed throw the ever-thickening snow. The sun had begun to set as the pair shakily walked through the once proud city of Winterhold. Winterhold was the northernmost city in the land and bordered the edge of a large ice cliff. Angry whitecaps below pounded against rock and ice while stinging winter winds constantly blew through the city. Why anyone would live here Momo has no clue, but she guesses isolation is better for the study of magic. Not everyone is as open with the art as the Hirai family is. But in the meantime, all she could do for Peko was lead her steed out of the snowfall and under the overhang of Winterhold’s lonely inn.

 

After an easy decision to spend the night inside the warm tavern, Momo finds herself with a steaming bowl of stew and a few slices of bread. Of course, she feeds Peko a few carrots she had asked the grumpy innkeeper for before scarfing down her own meal. The young mage was about to get up and ask for seconds when the front door or the tavern burst open. Two snow-covered figures scurried inside out of the heavier snowfall towards the fire in the middle of the room. They greeted the innkeeper who just grunted in response as if this was a normal occurrence. Momo slowly chewed on her stale bread as she took in the two newcomer’s appearances. They wore blue and grey robes that had a slight glow to them, proof that they were enchanted. Both also wore an enchanted piece of jewelry, the man a necklace and the woman a ring. Momo smirked as she identified the two as college students. They must have come down for a drink or something.

 

“If this letter is not here then you owe me a bottle of alto wine,” the young man shook his head to dry his brown locks.

 

“Don’t worry, Yerin never misses a day,” the woman held her sleeves over the heat of the fire to try to dry her own wardrobe.

 

Momo unintentionally stared at the curious pair. If they were mages at the college, why wouldn’t they simply cast a warming spell and dry their robes that way instead? Maybe they didn’t know that spell yet. Momo giggled to herself and slurped a spoonful of stew. The other two seemed to have heard the giggle, or the slurp, or both, but now it was their turn to stare. They looked between one another as if asking the other to speak the first word. The young man finally spoke once a strong elbow was sent into his side.

 

“Ahh! Yah- umm, I mean… excuse me, who are you?”

 

“Smooth Hoseok, real smooth.”

 

“Shut it SinB.”

 

Momo airily laughed at the two before standing and introducing herself.

 

“My name is Hirai Momo and I’m assuming you both are students at the College?”

 

“Uhh, yeah we are. I’m Jung Hoseok and this is Hwang Eunbi,” Hoseok politely smiled at Momo as he introduced the two.

 

“Everyone calls me SinB though,” SinB had finished wringing out her sleeves and moved down towards the bottom fringe of the robe. Momo politely bowed at the two and then flicked her wrist. A jet of heat shot out of her hand and instantly dried up SinB’s robes.

 

“Woah! How did you do that?” Hoseok’s jaw dropped as he took in the now dry set of robes SinB sported.

 

“Simple warming spell,” Momo shrugged and leaned against one of the many wooden pillars around the room.

 

“You’re a mage?” Hoseok asked, still awestruck by the simple spell.

 

“Yep, just arrived from Cyrodiil.”

 

“Hold on, you’re from Cyrodiil… and your last name is Hirai? No way! You’re the daughter of High Court Wizard Hirai aren’t you?” SinB, now dry, walked up to Momo and reached out for a handshake.

 

“I guess… is that what she’s called here?”

 

“Woah… your mom is known for her mastery of all six skills. That’s no easy feat, I’m working with destruction and conjuration but I’m having trouble with just those two,” SinB gawked at Momo, slightly jealous that she had come from such a skilled family of mages.

 

“Yeah,” Hoseok had sat down on one of the benches near the fireplace, “alteration and destruction are already difficult enough but six… Woah.”

 

“My mom is something else I guess,” Momo didn’t want to tell the two how her mother had trained her in all six skills because Momo never liked bragging.

 

The three continued talking into the evening until the grumpy innkeeper came over to the three and handed SinB a letter while mumbling under his breath for the two to leave.

 

“What’s up with him?” Momo asked once the innkeeper was far enough away.

 

“He doesn’t really like us or anyone from the college at all really. He just tolerates us because we come in twice a week and always pay.” SinB said as she quickly tucked the letter into the pocket of her robes.

 

“Why doesn’t he like you?”

 

“Well, you’ve heard of the Great Collapse right?” Momo nodded her head. “Well, he’s one of the many that still blames the College for the incident. And, as SinB said, the only reason he lets us in is that we pay. And now that you’ve been all chit-chatty with us, he probably doesn’t like you either.” Hoseok explained as he tidied up their dishes.

 

“Oh,” Momo had read about the Great Collapse, read how more than half of the great city of Winterhold crumbled over and plummeted into the crashing sea below. She never expected the backlash to last this long, but according to Hoseok, the grouchy innkeeper was one of many who still acted sour towards the College and any affiliated with magic.

 

“So, you said you’re here to attend the College? Why would you come all the way here when your mother is such a powerful mage?” SinB ignored the innkeeper's grumbles and continued nursing her tankard of ale.

 

“My mother did teach me a lot, but she had never mastered lightning magic. That is the only skill that alludes me and I wish to change that,” Momo informs the pair of college mages. “I came here in hopes of learning anything I could.”

 

“Lightning magic is one of the most difficult destruction skills. There is a mage up at the college, she’s new just like you are, and she spends all her time in the library. I’ve never seen her perform a spell but from what I’ve heard around the college, she’s pretty talented. Maybe she could help you out when you get there,” Hoseok smiled across at Momo after he finished his last bite of stew. He pulled out a small coin purse and left it next to their pile of dishes before standing up. SinB followed suit and the two cleaned up their area.

 

"Yeah, If _you know who_ doesn't make her join his gang before that." SinB's voice dripped with anger. But she remembered where she was and cleared her throat hoping to fix the now tense atmosphere, “Goodnight Momo, it was a pleasure to meet you,” SinB waved goodbye as she pulled on her enchanted hood.

 

“We will see you tomorrow, hopefully,” Hoseok throws a glowing smile back at Momo and the two college mages exit the inn. Leaving Momo and the moody innkeeper as the only two awake. Momo bid the innkeeper a goodnight as she walked up towards her room for the night. Her interaction with SinB and Hoseok only fueled her excitement for what tomorrow would bring. Unlike her trip to Riverwood, Momo’s travels had actually drained enough of her energy that she ended up falling asleep. Her dreams were filled with magical hallways and friendly faces.

 

One thing Momo had read when researching the College of Winterhold was the entrance exam. Well, it was more of a skill check. The gate guard would ask the hopeful a few questions and then task them with performing a spell. Momo was positive she would pass, but she didn’t want to be cocky. So the next morning as Momo ascended the stone ramp up towards the giant suspended bridge, she came face to face with a fiery-haired mage. Solji, the gate guard, scanned Momo and asked the young mage why she wished to cross the bridge.

 

“I wish to master destruction magic. I have trained in magic all my life but one skill still evades me,” Momo was straight forward with her answer for she wished to start as soon as possible.

 

“I see. That power certainly exists, I assure you. But before you can wield that power, a simple task for a mage of your skill… Hirai,” Solji smirks knowingly at Momo as she takes a step back and gestured at the design carved into the stone below them. “Conjure a flame atronach on the college seal and I will take you across the bridge.”

 

Momo had not given her name to the fiery-haired mage which let the young mage slightly flustered. Momo had always been exceptional at reading others, but to have been so easily read by another mage was something new for her. Never one to back down from a challenge, Momo summoned a spinning violet orb in her palm. With a flick of her wrist, the orb stretched and widened. A floating figure of flames rose up out of the swirling violet portal and took its place in the center of the seal. The light snowfall atop the stone railing melted away from the heat the atronach was giving off. Momo’s eyes never left Solji’s during the whole display.

 

Solji smirked and nodded her head. She turned around then began across the thin magical bridge. As Momo fell in step behind Solji, the flame atronach followed Momo, a trail of glowing embers scorched the stone as they came closer and closer to the large metal gate. They screeched open with a simple wave of Solji’s hand and the two continued into the courtyard. Students could be seen walking around the top of the courtyard on the circular walkway above. Two familiar faces were sat on the edge of a large shimmering fountain and waved at Momo once they finally saw her.

 

“Momo! You made it across. I hope Solji didn’t give you too much trouble.”

 

“I am just doing my job Eunbi, good morning Hoseok,” Solji flicked SinB in the forehead then flashed a sweet smile at the other young mage. “Since you both seem to know Hirai here, you can take her to see the Archmage. He’s been expecting this one for a while now.”

 

The two students nodded and bowed to the gate guard then lead Momo inside the large stone building at the edge of the courtyard. Hoseok bragged how he was Solji’s favorite while SinB socked him in the arm. Momo laughed at the duo’s antics and they continued further into the building up a spiral staircase. She could feel the stares of onlookers as she exited the staircase out into the library. SinB mentioned something about getting the key from the librarian but Momo was too busy squirming under the judging gazes. Momo knew that her family name would make it either easy or difficult to make friends at the college. There would be students like SinB and Hoseok who were friendly no matter her background. Then there would be others who were jealous of her natural talent. Momo knew she couldn’t be friends with everyone.

 

One group in the corner caught her eye. The cluster of students were mostly High Elves, Altmer, while a few were human. As a race, Altmer are among the tallest of the humanoid races, taller than most humans and much taller than other mer (Elves). Their skin maintains a very pale gold hue and they are slender, with prominently pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes. High Elves are well known for their noble countenance and are arrogant or disdainful more often than not when addressing humans. But it's not like they didn’t have a reason for their dislike towards humans. The Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion, an alliance of Elves, fought in a war. It was called the Great War and there were many casualties on both sides. The Empire saved itself from total destruction only by negotiating the White-Gold Concordat, a treaty which seemed to heavily favor the Dominion. The White-Gold Concordat enables the Thalmor to move freely throughout the Empire as well as explicitly outlawing the worship of the Man-God, Talos. This has angered a majority of the country’s denizens. The fact that people are being taken out of their homes or off the streets by the Thalmor with little to no evidence of actual Talos worship indicates that the reason of stamping out Talos worship may just be a front, with the real intention of sabotage and/or demoralization.

 

But Momo knew there was a large pool of Altmer who emigrated to become alchemists, enchanters, and mages. She just hoped that those who she made eye contact with not involved with the Thalmor. When SinB came back dangling a key in front of her, Momo was happy to leave the library and get away from all the glaring students. The three continued up the spiral stairs as high as they would go until they were met with a dark door. While SinB struggled with the lock, Momo leaned back and whispered with Hoseok.

 

“Why were all those students staring at me down in the library?”

 

“Were they all staring? Wow, I didn’t notice. Umm, SinB and I may have been a bit… loud, about meeting you last night and a few of the students probably heard us say that a Hirai was going to attend the college.”

 

“Oh, that’s not a bad thing is it?”

 

“I personally don’t think so but there are a few High Elves that like to stay at the top of the school. Your presence might make them a little nervous. But they are all pretty nice, the only one that you need to watch out for is Ancano. He’s very open and proud of his heritage and how his great grandparents fought in the Great War.”

 

Momo nodded at this information but she couldn’t ask him anything else because SinB had finally gotten the door open. The trio quickly filled through the doorway and into a large circular room. A man stood facing away from them and was tending to a few colorful flowers in the middle of the room. The Archmage’s quarters was truly a sight to behold. Years and years of magical history that had been passed down as a new Archmage came to be filled shelves and hung on the stone walls. The large tree in the middle of the room lit most of the entire floor. One-third of the room was dedicated to alchemy while another was littered with enchanting items. The Archmage’s personal items were hidden from view by a large stone wall behind the garden and tree. The man in the middle of the room turned and faced the three with a smile.

 

“Ah, Hirai Momo, good to see you finally made it. Thank you Hoseok and SinB for bringing her all the way up here but if you could give us some time alone.”

 

Both Hoseok and SinB bowed to the Archmage then gave a small smile and wave to Momo before descending back down the steps.

 

“I’ve been expecting you miss Hirai.”

 

“Good evening sir, umm… how did you know I was coming? I didn’t tell anyone where I was going except my family,” Momo jumped straight to the point but still tried to be polite with the Archmage.

 

“Please, everyone here calls me Park Jinyoung or JYP, and as to how I knew you were coming,” Jinyoung pulls a letter out of his blue cloak, “a worried mother sent a forewarning.” Jinyoung winked down at Momo and motioned for her to come join him at the group of chairs along the stone wall.

 

“My mother sent you a letter? What did she say?” Momo sat across from Jinyoung as the Archmage unfolded the parchment and handed it over to her.

 

“Just a heads up that you were traveling over the border with hopes of joining the college. Along with a list of your… habits.”

 

Momo quickly scanned over what her mother had sent. She was only a few sentences in and her cheeks were red from embarrassment.

 

“Can eat half a mammoth if you let her, doesn’t like the taste of water so she prefers tea, tends to fall asleep during long and important lectures, needs to sleep hugging a pillow, gets very cranky in the morning if she doesn’t have breakfast.” The list goes on but Momo chose to stop reading there.

 

“She also mentions how you came here with the hopes of mastering destruction magic.” Momo looks up at the Archmage with wide eyes.

 

“Yes, that is true.”

 

“Well, lightning magic is very difficult to master, I can’t even call myself a master for I still struggle with the skill. But, I will still offer my services as a tutor. That is, unless you wish to figure this out by yourself.” Jinyoung leaned back in his chair and waited for Momo’s response.

 

“I would like that very much sir- Jinyoung.” Momo folded the letter and gave it back to the Archmage.

 

“Then it’s settled, after you required weekly lecture, you will meet with me here.”

 

“Thank you, Park Jinyoung. When will I start as a student?”

 

“Now of course! I’m sure you did your research before coming here so you know that those who attend the College of Winterhold are free to learn at their own pace. If you wish to learn all you can a quick as possible then you are free to do that. And vice versa, if you wish to learn a single skill, you may take as long as you need to. The College of Winterhold provides mages with everything they need to study magic. We only have two requests: attend the lectures given in the Hall of Elements and no necromancy.”

 

“So I can start now?”

 

“Yes, Momo, you can start now. But first I want to leave you with a warning. Some of the students here will not appreciate a fresh mage walking onto campus and knocking them off their top spot.” Jihyoungs voice turned steady and serious.

 

“I don’t wish to knock anyone off of anywhere.” Momo quickly defends.

 

“I know you don’t, but they won’t. All I can tell you is to be careful with who you call your friends.”

 

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

The first few weeks of school didn’t go as Momo had first imagined when traveling.

 

Students that were jealous of her natural skill made school life difficult. They would knock books out of her hands, freeze her meals in solid blocks of ice, burn her essays, and constantly tell her to go back home. What really ticked her off was ow the students would also bully Hoseok, SinB, and anyone else who was nice to Momo. After a week or two of torture, Momo called it hell week, the bullying died down. Not as many students were willing to keep up the constant aggression against her that seemed to have been ordered.

 

After a while, the students at the college became tolerable, but there was a clear difference in skill. As she grew up, Momo believed everyone was able to wield magic as easily as she could. But now that she was here, it was difficult for her to watch students who didn’t know how to cast two different spells at once or struggle with transfiguration. She tried her best to not show off, however many of the lectures she attended were teaching skills she already possessed. The lectures also didn’t help her keep a low profile either; the professors would always ask her to demonstrate proper technique and form for students that continued to struggle.

 

Thankfully, Hoseok and SinB didn’t seem to need that much special attention from the professors and the three would often spend their time in the library or along the corridors eating snacks. This was where she first encountered Ancano and his gang of top students. Momo had been lounging in the cushiony library chairs with a book open on her lap. She was waiting for Hoseok and SinB to return form the local inn where they had first met because SinB had received another letter. The letters were from SinB’s special someone. This discovery was made when Momo and Hoseok were making their way down to the Hall of Elements. Hoseok accidentally mentioned something about a woman named Yerin and how SinB was really looking forward to next weekend.

 

When the door to the stairs burst open, Momo looked up from her reading hoping it was her friends but was instead met with the amber eyes of Ancano. He had a few others with him; Estormo and Elenwen, both Altmer and both powerful mages. There was one more member of his “gang” but she was not Altmer. She hung further back near the entrance of the library. She glared at Ancano as if she were angry with him but she still followed his orders.

 

“Hello there Hirai,” Ancano smirked down at her.

 

“Good evening Ancano, what can I do for you.” Momo stayed calm while eyeing the stairway entrance hoping for Hoseok and SinB to make their appearances at any moment. She didn’t want to be alone with the one person she had been told over and over to avoid.

 

“Cut the niceties, Hirai. You have a lot of nerve showing up in this school. What exactly are you even here for, huh? You already know the six skills.” Ancano flicked his wrist and the book in Momo’s lap flew closed.

 

“I’m here to learn just like you Ancano.” Momo was now standing. Altmer were the tallest of all the elves so Momo looked minuscule standing in front of the three.

 

“I’m not here to learn, I’m here for power. Do you even know the secrets this school hides?” Ancano’s amber eyes flashed with anger.

 

“No, that’s not why-“

 

“Don’t lie! I know why you’re here Hirai. You’re going to take all the power that I have been searching for. But you and your six skills won’t stand in my way.” He pushed her back down into the chair and looked over at Estormo and Elenwen. “Hold her down”

 

“What? No! Ahhh, let me go!” Momo struggled to slip out of the elves strong grips.

 

“As long as you’re here, I’m going to make your life hell. You don’t belong here, Hirai. This is my school and you're not going to ruin everything I’ve worked so hard for.”

 

Loud bands on the wooden stairway door echo into the library. Hoseok and SinB’s voices could be heard on the other side.

 

“Mina! Make sure no one gets in.” The human by the door looked between Ancano and a struggling Momo. “Mina, do it now!”

 

Mina schooled her features to show no emotion then nodded at Ancano. She left her spot against the wall and cast a spell against the door and all the banging sounds stopped. Ancano bent down and grabbed Momo by her hair. He pulled out a knife then made direct eye contact with Momo. He slashed the blade through her long dark locks over and over until Momo was left with a messy bob of unruly hair. Ancano sheathed the knife then snapped his fingers. The mass of dark locks of the caught fire and all of it burned until nothing remained.

 

“You may have more skill than me Hirai,” He bent down once more and firmly grabbed Momo by her hair. Tears were streaming down her cheeks while Ancano forced her to look up into his glowing, evil eyes. “But I will _always_ have more power than you ever will.”

~ ~ ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love you Momo! i'm so sorry for what I've done to you *crying face emoji* 
> 
>  
> 
> (just imagine What Is Love hair for Momo).


	3. clarification (More pre Mo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the last update before jumping back to the present time period for our girlies.
> 
> 7720 ish words because I couldn't help myself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt as if a bit of clarification was needed plus if you read Oblivion first (like I had previously advised) then you know what happens next for Momo.
> 
> A little background info, I actually started this whole AU during WIL so that was hairstyle/look I envisioned for each member while writing. Its obviously changed now but short hair I missed short hair Momo so I brought her back.

~ ~ ~

Things didn’t get much better for Momo and friends after Ancano’s stunt.

Destroyed dorm rooms became the Altmer’s main way of attacking. It was away from JYP’s watchful eyes and all students stayed in the same building which gave anyone access to any dorm. This meant that most days Momo would come back to a trashed dorm room. And Ancano proved to be creative in his destructive tendencies. She remembers a Wednesday where a herd of goats made themselves comfortable on her bed. Or that one time she had been running a bit late to a lecture and found her entire room frozen solid. She had to wait until it had all melted just to get inside. The professors weren't too happy to see a tardy Momo and soiled lecture notes. It didn’t stop at just her room either. Ancano ordered his gang of top students to mess with her at all the lectures she attended. They would cast jinxes and spells on her when the teachers weren’t looking to make her embarrass herself.

They seemed to prefer ice magic as their main weapon and would often freeze her feet to the floor or have her slip on a thin sheet of ice. Some were more creative than others and incorporated their major into the “teasing”. Alchemy students tended to whip up potions that would make her constantly sneeze or become extremely sleepy in class. But now the bullying had all but stopped after someone dared slip a few drops of paralysis poison into her tea. That was a long five hours in the library. After that stunt, JYP started to become more involved. Ancano had his members take the blame for the harassment and they suffered by expulsion. However, Ancano’s main goons still managed to stay in the school.

But aside from Ancano and all the bullying, being at the college was actually serving its purpose. Momo was finally making progress with lightning magic. When she first came to the school, the most she could do was create sparks on her fingertips and get a lucky streak of electricity to shoot out of her hands. But with JYP’s tutoring, Momo had finally hit a target with a bolt of lightning. To say she was happy would be an understatement. She was joyous, ecstatic, jubilant, basically, any verb that is used to describe thrilled would be an acceptable way of explaining how Momo felt. She was in such a good mood that even Ancano’s bullying had no effect on her that day.

Of course, Momo couldn’t be happy for long at the college. That same day, Momo had a special lecture to attend in the library. Kim Seokjin had selected a group of students that would begin to study ancient nordic tombs. Momo was actually excited about this project because, first of all, Ancano wasn’t part of it, and second of all the group would end the unit with a trip to a recently discovered ancient Nordic city. The only downside was that Mina, one of the few humans in Ancano’s gang of top students, was also participating.

Momo had never had a problem with Mina when she first started at the college. Mina was a quiet girl who spent all her time reading in the library. The young mage was also relatively new to the college and seemed to have a natural ease with magic. Ancano had somehow persuaded Mina to join his group of top students, Momo still didn’t know how he did it, but ever since the young mage would frequently be seen hanging around the group of Elves.

The selected students were dubbed the Explorers by Momo’s professor, Seokjin, and they would meet regularly every three days to discuss Nordic ruins. Seokjin claimed three days was enough time for them to find and read a book about one of the many ancient Nordic artifacts that had been discovered throughout the land. But for Momo, three days was barely enough. What, she’s a slow reader. After weeks of meeting and discussions on ancient ruins, Seokjin finally made the announcement the whole group had been looking forward to.

Momo had been running a little late. No one's fault but her own, the sweet rolls the kitchen made were addicting. The whole group turned at the loud creaking sound the door made as Momo tried to slip in unnoticed. Luckily, Seokjin was one of the sweetest professors at the college so he let Momo slide for being late.

“Welcome, welcome we were just beginning,” Seokjin winked at Momo as she sheepishly stood next to one of the other students, “So, as I was saying. The first thing to understand is that magic is, by its very nature, volatile and dangerous. Unless you can control it, it can and will destroy you.”

“Sir, I think we all understand that very well. We wouldn’t be here if we couldn’t control magic.” Sowon, the female student Momo had been standing next to politely told Seokjin.

“Of course Sowon, of course. You all certainly possess some inherent natural ability, that much is not being questioned,” Seokjin’s stare lingered on Momo for a moment, “What I’m talking about true control. Mastery of magic. It takes years, if not decades of practice and studying.”

“Than what are we waiting for? Let's get started,” Xaani, a khajit known to lack patience, eagerly spoke while wagging his long fluffy tail.

“Please, please. This is exactly what I’m talking about. Eagerness must be tempered with caution or else disaster is inevitable.” Seokjin tried to get the students attention back on him but Xaani kept accidentally smacking the others with his tail.

“But we’ve only just started training with you,” Mina finally spoke up. Her tone was sharp and she seemed completely done with whatever Seokjin had to say next. “You have no idea of what any of us are capable of.” Mina crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Seokjin.

The professor sighed and shook his head. Mina rolled her eyes at the older mage but didn’t speak again.

“You have been quite so far, miss Hirai, what do you think we should do?” Seokjin turned towards Momo and asked.

Momo was not one to like all the attention on her, her treatment at the college has taught her to avoid the spotlight, so she chose to agree with the rest of the group.

“I think we should learn something practical.”

“Is that so?” Seokjin nodded in understanding.

“See? She agrees with us too, why don’t you actually show us something.” Sowon followed Mina’s actions and crossed her own arms while Xaani began his wild tail wagging again. Mina simply side eyed Momo.

“Alright, let's settle down,” the command was mostly directed at Xaani as he tried to stop his tail from smacking into anyone else. “I suppose we can try something practical.”

Seokjin motioned for the group to follow him and the four students moved over to one side of the room.

“In continuing with our theme of safety, we will start with wards. Wards are protective spells that block magic. I’ll teach you all a ward and we’ll see if you can successfully use it to block spells.” Seokjin snapped his fingers and two, small, glowing lights appeared in each of his hands. He tossed one of the lights over to where the group had been spread out and dropped the other where they were standing now.

“Miss Myoui, do you mind helping me with the demonstration? Are you at all familiar with ward spells?” Seokjin politely asked Mina and the young mage nodded her head. "Perfect, now if you’ll just stand over there, we’ll cast a few spells at you and you block it with the ward.”

The rest of the groups stood behind Seokjin as Mina walked over to the glowing light on the floor.

“Now cast the ward spell and keep it up,” Mina raised her hands and a gloved hue enveloped both her arms. With a flash of light and a loud echoing sound, a shimmering blue wall appeared in front of Mina. The ward was see through but distorted the image on the other side, like looking into a pool of water. The longer Mina held the ward in place, the more magic the spell drained. This one one of the main reasons Momo disliked restoration magic. It’s very helpful yes, but its extremely draining.

“Hold still.”

Seokjin conjured a ball of fire in his right hand and threw it at Mina. The fire magic dissolved into the air as soon as it made contact with the magical shield. Next Sowon launched a chunk of ice at the ward and the result was the same. After Xaani sprayed a stream of flames at the ward, it was Momo’s turn. The young mage saw this as the perfect opportunity to try out the new magic she had been practicing. With a twitch of her hand's sparks swam in the air around her fingers. She pressed her palms together then pulled them apart. A single strand of lightning danced between her hands and the flashes of bright light it created helped Momo get a clear sight of fear. The fear that covered Mina’s face as Momo took a stutter step towards the mage and released the bolt of lighting. The magical barrier cracked and then shattered under the power of the spell causing Mina to stumble backwards and fall over.

“Well, I think this is an excellent start.” Seokjin’s voice rung out into the now silent room. Everyone was in awe of Momo’s spell, how it was made, how it shattered Mina’s ward, and how it caused the top student to flail and topple over.

“An excellent start? She almost killed me!” Mina, now standing, yelled out in retaliation.

“It only proved my point about learning safety first. Thank you for showing us a prime example of someone who needs to practice their wards more.” Seokjin smiled at Mina then turned around to face the others who were giggling at the comment. Momo caught him sending a quick wink her way and she decided that Seokjin was now her favorite professor.

“I’d like you all to continue practicing with wards, please. I think, perhaps, we’re ready to begin exploring some of the various applications of magic throughout history. Like I had told you all when we first started these meeting, the college has undertaken a fascinating excavation of the ruins of Saarthal nearby. An excellent learning opportunity. Now, with a bit more practice with wards, I believe us to be ready to go exploring. I suggest we meet in the courtyard in a few hours, then see what awaits us inside Saarthal. That’s all for now, you’re dismissed.” Seokjin bowed to the group of students and left the four.

Momo was about to lave as well when Xaani pulled her back by her shoulders. The feline held up his furry paw for a fist-but and Momo happily obliged. Sowon also gave her a toothy smile. Meanwhile, Mina was fuming. She quickly left the lecture hall but not without ramming her shoulder into Momo's.

“Momo…” Sowon waited until Mina had left the building, “That was awesome! When did you learn how to do that?” Sowon wrapped her arm around Momo’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze.

“I’ve been having tutoring sessions with JYP. He’s helped out a lot.”

“Xaani is very proud. Xaani is happy to have been here to see Momo do that.”

“Thanks, Xaani… I guess.” Momo tried to slip out of his fuzzy grasp but the Khajit held her tight.

“Come, let us practice more wards before we depart.” Xaani pulled Momo with him towards the exit while Sowon just shook her head and followed behind.

~ ~ ~

Snow swirled around the group of mages as they carefully made their way down the wooden excavation steps. Three of the four students had been eagerly waiting in the college courtyard for Seokjin. Mina had been waiting as well, but she spent the whole time glaring daggers at Momo. Clearly, the younger mage was still a bit upset about the whole ward incident. Was it an incident? Momo wouldn’t call it one. It was more like a form of payback hidden (not really) in a lesson. But Momo ignored the very obvious glaring and happily trekked up the snowy mountainside with the others. They reached the excavation site in less than an hour and felt very little of the winter storm thanks to their enchanted college robes. Now the group of five mages stood outside the entrance of the ruins waiting for Seokjin to give them a final safety warning.

“All right, please stay close to me while we’re inside. It should be safe, but it’s always better to be cautious.” Seokjin smiled at the group of young mages then pulled a set of keys out of his robes. He quickly unlocked the excavation site and the five filed inside.

Momo was last to enter and found herself staring down a poorly lit hallway. She followed the others and listed to Seokjin go into depth about the ancient ruins.

“As some of you may know, Saarthal was one of the earliest Nord settlements in the country. It was also the largest.” The group slowly made their way into one of the bigger rooms. Large wooden walkways had been placed to assist in the execution of the buried city. They carefully traveled deeper into the room along the wooden walkways. Momo let out a loud the strangest sneeze from all the dust in the air. However, Seokjin either didn’t hear it or just ignored her and continued spouting information about the ruins.

“Besides being sacked by the elves in the infamous “Night of Tears”, not much is known about what happened to Saarthal. This is an exciting opportunity for us. To be able to study such an early civilization, and the magic they used…” They slowly stepped onto one of the large ancient staircases and carefully descended down the wooden planks down until they reached the bottom floor. The group of mages circled around Seokjin, it seemed most of them had not been listening to his historic rambles and were instead gazing around at the structure of the city.

“Well, are there any questions before we begin?” Seokjin smiled his group of gawking students.

Sowon raised her hand to ask him something but Mina had already begun speaking.

“I have no questions because I actually did the reading you assigned. What would you like me to do?” Mina blurted out.

“Ah, yes. Hmm. Well, why don’t you see if you can assist Heize? She’s one of our scholars here working on cataloging our finds. I’d expect she’d appreciate some help locating any additional magical artifacts here in the ruins. In fact, Momo, why don’t you join Mina in helping Heize.” Seokjin smiled then ushered the two towards another poorly lit hallway that led deeper into the ruins. With the two left alone, Momo tried a soft smile at the younger but Mina took one look at Momo then scoffed and left to find Heize.

The two mages continued through the old and dusty hallway carefully avoiding crumbling parts of the walls and ceiling. Mina remained silent as they made their way into another large room. This section of the ancient city seemed to be larger and more intact than the previous room, Momo assumed that was because it was further from the entrance therefor less air had gotten inside. Lots of excavation walkways had been set up to keep the area safe but explorable. Ancient carvings littered the walls along with vine-like vegetation growing on a lot of the stonework. A clear haze of dust was visible in the air and, thanks to the lanterns hung all around, cast a golden brown color throughout the chamber.

Mina let the two further into the room across wooden walkways and ancient stone bridges until the reached the other side of the two-story room. Momo tried her best to keep up with the younger while still getting a good look at all the history they were walking through. Mina ended up leaving Momo in the larger section of the room while she passed through another tunnel in her continued search for Heize. The young mage finally found the woman hunched over a wooden table as the tunnel widened.

“I’d be amazed if we find anything useful here.” Mina heard the older mage grumbling under her breath.

She quietly stood behind the older for a few moments until she had to clear her throat to get Heize’s attention.

“Hmm? Oh, what can I help you with?” Heize turned around and quickly dusted off her robes as she walked over to Mina.

“Seokjin sent me to see you.”

“He what? Oh, you must be one of the new apprentices then. Fine, fine. Just… don’t make a mess of my work. I’ve only looked through a portion of this section. You, uh, let’s see. You can look around in the chambers just north of here. Try and be careful alright, we don’t want to damage anything.” Heize waved Mina off then turned back to the work she had spread out on her table.

Mina rolled her eyes and left the older, slightly grumpy, mage to go look for artifacts. On her way back she accidentally tripped over a stone cobble that jutted a bit out more than the others and plummeted towards the ground. Mina braced herself for an impact that never came. Instead, she felt a strong pair of arms wrap themselves around her and pull her back onto her feet. Her head swiveled to view her savior and she was met with the wide chocolate eyes of Hirai Momo. The two stared at each other for a few moments before Mina pushed herself out of Momo’s grasp. The younger dusted off her robes and spun on her heel quickly walking away from the other woman. Momo just shook her head and followed Mina into the northern chambers.

The two carefully searched all the little sections of the ancient city and had found a total of three enchanted rings and a carved stone tablet. They were about to return to Heize with their findings when Mina caught a glimpse of another light flickering further down the hallway. The younger veered away from her expedition partner and entered another section of the room. Momo, quick to notice Mina’s absence, sped off behind her and the two poked around the new unexplored section together. Momo found another ring in the corner of the room while Mina stopped in-front of a carved section the wall. A necklace was laying against the stone and seemed to be on display. Very carefully, Mina lifted the ancient jewelry off of the display. The moment the artifact was off the pedestal, a loud clunking noise echoed around the pair of mages. A large metal gate descended from the entryway that led back towards the hallway blocking the pair from leaving.

“What did you do?” Momo horridly asked the younger. Mina quickly tried to replace the artifact back onto its pedestal but the stone structure had retracted into the wall. Footsteps echoed down the hallway and soon Seokjin came running into view.

“What in the world was that racket? Is everything all right?” He stood on the other side of the dark iron bars and ran a finger against the metal.

“We’re trapped in here!” Momo and Mina stood facing their professor, blocked by the ancient metal trap.

“How did that happen?”

Momo shot a look at Mina who lowered her head in embarrassment.

“I pulled an amulet of the wall.” Mina’s voice was soft and quiet. The normal voice Momo had known the younger for before she joined Ancano’s group of top students.

“Really? Perhaps the amulet is important somehow, is there any way you could use it?” Seokjin asked the two trapped mages.

“You want me to put it on?” Mina asked, shocked at the professor’s possible solution. “What if curses me!”

“We won’t know unless you try. I’ll go speak with Heize, see if we can figure another way to get you two out of there.” With that, Seokjin disappeared back into the dark hallway.

Momo pulled against the metal keeping them inside with no avail. She tried to melt the bars with a stream of flames but still, nothing seemed to be working. Oh, how Momo wished teleportation was an actual spell. She heard a grunt behind her and turned to see Mina sitting on the floor, her legs pulled up to her chest.

“Momo… I’m, I’m sorry.” Mina’s voice was so soft that Momo had to strain to hear her words.

“It’s okay, you were just doing what Heize told us to do, I probably would have done the same,” Momo sunk to the floor next to the younger.

“No, I’m not just apologizing about getting us stuck in here… I’m sorry about everything I’ve done to you.” Mina pressed her forehead against her kneecaps, muffling her already soft voice.

Momo unconsciously ran a hand through her shorter hair. SinB and Hoseok had helped her fix the new hair to the best of their ability so she ended up with a bob of short black hair. She didn’t hate the look, she just kind of wished she had more of a choice in the new, forced style.  
  
“I’m sorry about your hair, I’m sorry about the mean threats, and everything else Ancano has had done to you. You don’t deserve it.”

“Then why do you listen to him?”

“He- I… My parents and I moved here a few months ago. I adjusted to the cold but my parents couldn’t seem to handle the dramatic temperature drop. My mother got sick which left my father to take care of her. Then he got sick too. Ancano is looking for a powerful source of magic to make him better, stronger than everyone else. He said if I help him find the hidden secrets at the college then he will use the power to help my family.”

“Oh…”

“I know he’s a terrible person and only looks to gain power for himself, but if there is a chance that he could help my parents…”

The two sat in silence. Mina words working their way into Momo’s heart. She had never expected Mina to open up to her in any way. Ancano kept strict control over his gang and Momo just assumed that he had forced Mina to join because of her skill in magic. But she never knew Mina had been going through this. Momo cliched her jaw a few times then began to stand.

“Give me the amulet.”

“What?”

“Give me the amulet, I’m going to get us out of here so you can save your parents.” Momo extended her hand to Mina and the younger stared at it for a few moments before taking hold. Momo pulled her onto her feet and then Mina handed over the amulet. Momo took a deep breath before lifting the necklace over her head. It felt unnaturally heavy and the long section of carved bone seemed to press against her chest.

“Where did you find it?” Momo tried to sound calm, but the effect the amulet had on her was quite unnerving.

“Over here,” Mina led Momo through a small opening and towards the carved section of wall. Momo could feel the necklace pulling her towards the wall. A shimmering orange light emanated from the carvings.

“Do you see that?” Momo ran her hand over the orange glow and looked over at Mina.

“See what?” Mina was confused as the older continued to stroke the wall.

“Okay, stand back.” Momo took a few steps away from the wall then summoned a ball of fire.

“What are you-“ Momo launched the fireball against the wall and the whole structure collapsed into hundreds of little pieces. Both coughed and waved their hands to try to clear the new cloud of dust created then their jaws dropped. Mina and Momo stared in awe at the hidden room the spell had revealed. A clear hallway that had been sectioned off by the ancient carving.

“Heize and Seokjin are going to kill you for destroying that.” Mina squatted down and picked up a handful of crumbled carving.

“Uh, Mina…” The younger mage glanced up to see Momo trying and failing to remove the amulet from her neck. “It won’t come off!”

“Oh shit,” Mina quickly sprang to her feet and tried to help Momo pull the necklace off but the amulet seemed too hot for Mina to touch. “Does it hurt?” Mina worried as she blew cold air over her stinging fingers.

“No, it’s just heavy and kind of uncomfortable.” Momo didn’t want to tell the younger about the feeling of control the amulet had over her moments ago.

“Well, this tunnel appears to lead somewhere,” Mina glanced over her shoulder to see the metal gate still firmly in place. “Let’s just hope it’s out.” Momo nodded at the younger and the two cautiously climbed through the hole Momo had made in the wall.

The subterranean tunnel was long and winding. Roots from fossilized vegetation protruded from the ceiling and old wooden planks and stone littered the floor. A group of mushrooms had begun growing out of a mass, but Mina quickly moved away from the fungus when she identified the mass as a mummified body. The hidden tunnel led them through a few more twists and turns until they emerged into a small chamber. There were three huge metal boxes against the wall. One in front, one to the left, and one to the right.

“Why in the world would this be sealed off… what events this place?” Momo asked as they crossed under an arc and into the room. As soon as Momo had fully entered the room she felt the amulet around her neck release a pulse of energy and the seals on the boxes hissed open. The two mages quickly stood back to back, magic at the ready, as sections of metal popped open and revealed three undead creatures. The metal lids were pushed aside by their wrinkly and moldy hands. Their eyes glowed a bright blue and the undead men unsheathed weapons from their belts.

Momo sent a ball of fire tight at one of the undead warriors but even after the direct hit, he continued to groan and stumble his way towards the two.

“Are you kidding me!”

The younger mage seemed to be faring better than Momo. She locked one of the undead in place by shooting a spear of ice through its stomach. The magic impaled the rotting corpse against the wall leaving it to struggle until it stopped flopped over, its eyes now dark and empty for good. The third swung its ancient longsword at the two but they had avoided the attack just in time. Momo pressed her palms together and created a flickering bolt of lighting just like when they were practicing wards. The zombified creature was no match for the powerful magic and collapsed into a pile of ash once it had been zapped.

Mina had gotten herself cornered by the last undead and she was now blasting it with a stream of fire as an attempt to keep it at a tolerable distance. But the heat seemed to have little impact on the walking corpse and he swung his ancient axe through the flames. He fought his way through the magic until he was close enough to bring his axe down on the young mage. Suddenly the flames stopped and a chunk of ice crashed against the undead’s skull. Mina had surrounded her fist in ice and threw her strongest punch. Her fist of ice crunched through the aged bone and lodged itself in the sticky matter left inside the creature's skull.

“Ewww!” She yanked back her frozen fist to escape the now squished head but ended up yanking the entire head off of its body. Momo watched the younger mage flail her hand around as she tried to fling off the skull stuck on her hand.

“Do you want some help?” Momo airily laughed and walked over to the younger mage.

“Get it off! Get it off!” Mina quickly extended her hand at Momo. The quick movement, plus all the flailing she had done moments before, made the crushed skull fly off of her hand and hit Momo directly in the face. Mina couldn't tell if the crunching sound was the undead’s skull or Momo’s.

“AhhH! My nose!” Momo stumbled back clutching her face. Yep, definitely Momo’s, Mina thought as she scrubbed the rotted brain matter off of her hand.

“Is it bad?” Momo slightly uncovered her face and asked Mina. The younger’s cringe was all Momo needed to know.

“Sorry… again.”

“Let's just keep moving or else we’ll never get out of here.” Momo’s voice was nasally from all the blood dripping out of her nose.

“But what if there are more of those… things?” Mina cringed once more as she stepped over the now headless zombie on the floor. She followed Momo and climbed through one of the upright coffins the undead had been in. The coffin in the middle didn’t have a back panel and led to another section of the ancient city. The two weren’t even sure they were in the city anymore. It seemed more like a tomb or a crypt.

Mina was cautiously looking behind them when she bumped into Momo. Before she could speak, the older’s hand covered her mouth and motioned for her to keep quiet. Momo held her finger over her lips in a “shushing” motion then pointed further ahead of her. A gate could be seen further down the small tunnel they were in. Even from their current distance, the two could see into a circular room lined with more dark metal coffins. Another gate was closed on the other side, a small amount of flashing light could be seen coming from the other side.

“Do we really need to go that way?” Mina whispered to Momo, trying to keep her voice as low as possible.

“I believe so.” The older whispered back and subconsciously grabbed at the amulet still hanging around her neck. She didn’t know how or why, but something about the flashing light on the other side of the room was calling out to her. As if the amulet was leading her to something. She felt as though a choir of men and women were quietly chanting into her head. The closer to the gate she got, the louder the chanting became.

A small pull chain hung next to the metal gate. Momo looked behind her at Mina, silently asking if the younger mage was ready for another fight. With Mina’s nod of approval, Momo raised her hand up and yanked on the pull chain. Both gates opened; the one in front of the mages and the one on the other side of the room. At the exact same time, one of the coffins near the back of the circular room burst open and an armored undead man climbed out. He drew his weapon and was ready to attack but he didn’t seem to know where the mages were. Mina and Momo stayed crouching near the entrance of the room and watched the undead wander back and forth between the room. Mina was about to launch an ice spike at the corpse but Momo stopped her.

The older mage took a step backwards and summoned a glowing violet orb in her hand. With a flick of her wrist, the orb floated upwards then stretched out into a bow. Momo grabbed the shimmering violet bow out of the air and drew back the string. An ethereal arrow flashed onto the string and nocked itself on the bow. Mina’s jaw hung open for she had never seen a spell like that before.

“You have to teach me that once we get out of here.” Momo simply winked back and aimed at the wandering undead warrior. The arrow was released and flew straight through the corpses' skull. The wrinkly body of skin and bones collapsed to the floor leaving the two mages to watch its glowing blue eyes slowly fade until they were dark.

Not one-second later another coffin burst open, this time on the other side of the room, and another undead climbed out. Momo continued sending magical arrows at the corpses. Every time she killed one, another would “wake up” and climb out of their coffin. The seventh and final undead fell to the floor from an arrow to the head. The two mages paused for a few moments waiting for another so awaken but it seemed that they had all been killed. Momo muttered something under her breath and the magical bow evaporated out of her hand.

“Seriously, you really need to teach me how to do that.” Mina smiled up at the shimmering violet lights the bow made as it disappeared.

“Are you sure? Ancano wouldn’t be too happy seeing you hanging around with me.” Momo stood up from where she had been kneeling and dusted off her robes.

“I don’t care what Ancano has to say, I never have for a matter of fact.”

“All right then, I’ll teach you. That way you can show off to your boyfriend.”

“Girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?”

“Well, …sort of. There’s this girl… she's not from the college, and I keep seeing her around. We’ve only spoken a few times, but whenever we do she’s always very flirty… I can’t tell if that’s just how she is or if she really likes me. Maybe I’m just dense.”

“Woah, the great Myoui Mina is having girl troubles?”

“It seems so.” Mina seemed deflated as the two stepped over the rotting corpses Momo just killed, for a second time.

“I’m not really the right person to be giving relationship advice seeing as I don’t have a girlfriend myself, but I could try. If you want me to?” Momo offered as the two safely reached the other side of the circular room.

The flashing blue lights seemed to come from a source further ahead. There only seemed to be a straight line between them and the lights but the walls were lined with sleeping mummified bodies. They were tucked into holes in the wall, some were armed with swords while others were wrapped tightly in a rotted cloth. Skeletons of poorly preserved bodies were also stuck in the dirt walls.

“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think now is a good time,” Mina said as she counted all the dead bodies in the catacomb. “I count fourteen, but only six seem to be armed and, well, waiting.”

“Okay, should I get my bow again?”

“I don’t think so. I’m betting that as soon as we wake one, the others will rise.” Mina weighed their options. They could turn back around and hope that Seokjin and Heize had found a way out. Or they could try sneaking past the waiting undead.

“How about you let me try something,” Mina told Momo. The older nodded her head and waited for Mina to begin her plan.

Mina took a steadying breath before beginning. She closed her eyes to concentrate on the spell then clenched her hands tightly. A layer of cold air surrounded Mina and when she relaxed her hands, cold strands of air were visibly emanating from them. Mina opened her now icy blue eyes and gathered an orb of magic in her hands. She looked over at Momo to signal she was ready and the older mage engulfed her hands in fire.

Momo cast a fireball at one of the armored undead and woke it up with a fiery explosion. Mina was right to say only six were waiting because after the first corpse had been destroyed the other five opened their glowing eyes and slowly sat up in their tombs. Now it was Mina’s turn. She focused the magic in her hands onto the floor and cast a large ice rune onto the ground. Mina smirked and waited for the five undead to rush at them. Once they all had a foot on the rune Mina snapped her fingers. Ice shot up from the floor and froze all the undead in place. However, their ancient bodies couldn’t seem to hand the sudden impact of ice. The instant glacier was filled with suspended grotesque body parts. Momo walked up to the giant ice and knocked against the surface.

“So you’re the one who has been freezing my food!” Momo spun and pointed an angry finger at Mina.

“I said I was sorry” Mina smirked back as the blue hue in her eyes slowly returned back to soft hazel.

“Do you know how many sweet rolls you made soggy? You should be arrested for your crimes!”

“Shouldn’t you be happy, it gave me lots of practice so I could pull off something like this.” Mina waved her hands and backed away from the mage.

“Fine, but from now on whenever I want a sweet roll you’re going to get me one.”

“Whatever,” Mina rolled her eyes and smiled at the older.

Both mages were about to continue down the hallway when they heard a large crashing noise from behind them. They ignited their hands in magic ready to attack undead that came down the hallway. What they were not ready for was Seokjin to poke his out from the entrance to the hallway with his hands raised.

“Don’t shoot!”

“Professor!” The two shouted in unison and quickly rushed back up through the hallway.

“I should really scold you both for destroying history but then I saw the draugr.”

“Draugr?” Mina and Momo looked confused at the word Seokjin had just used. “Do you mean the evil undead zombie things?” Momo unsophisticatedly asked the professor.

“Yes, they carry only the barest whisper of life in them but that is all they need to defend their crypts. Didn’t I assign you all to read a study report on the subject of ancient undead?”

“You did?” Momo, still confused, scratched the side of her head trying to remember all the readings she never did. Seokjin crossed his arms and pinched the bridge of his nose in disappointment. He was about to give the two an impromptu lecture about finishing their schoolwork when the flashing lights caught his eye.

“What in the name of-“ Seokjin stared at the lights and quickly made his way down the tunnel. “Well now… would you look at that.” The two young mages hurried after him and were met with something incredible.

All three stood at the top of some stone steps staring down at a massive floating orb. The huge ancient metal had a glowing script written all around it and it floated, suspended in the air behind a swirling magical shield.

“I’d never imagine we would find something like this,” Seokjin was enamored with the orb and never took his eyes off it as he slowly walked down the steps. “Why is this buried so far within Saarthal?”

Once the three made it down the steps, it was easier to get a full view of the revolving magical orb and the room it dwelled within. The hidden chamber had two floors: the top floor where the mages stood in awe of the orb, and the bottom where the artifact hovered behind the huge ward. The bottom floor also homed a single draugr. He sat waiting in his ancient crumbling throne for anyone who came near.

A strong magical pull towards the orb reminded Momo of the amulet around her neck. She was now hyper-aware of the chants inside her head. Her breathing quickened as she unconsciously stepped further into the room. When she realized she was moving closer she tried to stop her movement, but her body didn’t listen to her and she continued to the edge of the top floor.

“Momo? What are you- come back here!” Mina and Seokjin’s words were drowned out by the amulet's chants.

She stood on the edge of a wooden walkway that looked over the ground level. The amulet around her neck didn’t just have an effect on her, it pulled another as well. Momo watched as the draugr slowly stood from his throne and reached for his intimidatingly large battle-axe on the table in front of him. Both Mina and Seokjin ran up from behind her but she could only see their lips moving. There was no sound except the mental choir blaring inside her head.

“Snap out of it Momo!” Mina shook Momo by her shoulders but nothing changed the glassy stare across the mage's face. The draugr below stumbled out of his throne and began making his way towards the wooden stairs. He dragged his ancient weapon behind him, the friction creating a small trail of sparks.

“He’s coming up here we need to stop him!” Seokjin forcefully pulled Mina way from the hypnotized Momo. Both mages tried casting spells at the lumbering undead, but there was no effect.

“Nothing seems to work!” Mina yelled over the stream of fire he and Mina were blasting at the draugr. He had almost made it halfway up the wooden steps and Momo had yet to move. She still stood rooted to her spot, staring blankly at the giant glowing orb.

“Keep it busy, I have an idea!” Seokjin stopped his attack and gave the draugr a solid kick to the chest. The undead warrior lost its balance and toppled down the stairs. Mina watched as her professor descended down the steps to the bottom floor then leapt over the restless draugr. He sprinted up to the intense ward and began casting large flames against it. The draugr below Mina became surrounded in a cloud of grey and purple smoke then a light flashed over by Seokjin.

“There! Now attack it.” The sudden cloud of magical energy exploded in a ball of fire and the draugr once more began to amend the steps, now on fire. The flames didn’t seem to bother the draugr as the undead creature drew back his battle-axe. Mina cast a few fireballs but the draugr continued closing in.

“Fire magic has no effect only ice magic-“ the young mage’s shouting was cut off when a bolt of lightning slams the restless draugr down through the wooden stairs. Mina looked over to her right to get a glimpse of something truly terrifying; an angry Hirai Momo.

The amulet that was once around the mage’s neck now dangled from her fingertips. Electricity flowed out of the mage as she surrounded herself in an aura of lightning. When the draugr tried to climb out of the rubble, he was thrown back down by Momo’s barrage of lightning bolts. The lightning mage dropped down from the wooden ledge onto the table in front of the throne and began her attack once more. The smell of burning rotting flesh was something Mina never wanted to know but now, thanks to Momo, it was ingrained in her mind… and nose.

“Momo that’s enough,” Seokjin called out to the younger. “You can stop now Hirai.”

Both Mina and Seokjin had to pull Momo away from the crisp draugr to make her stop. Mina had never seen Momo go off like that, and she hoped to never see it again. The young mage’s breathing was quick and labored as she tried to calm herself down. The amulet that locked her in place while the others fought now lay shattered on the floor. Momo doesn’t remember if she dropped it or threw it, she was just glad it was gone. The defining choir of chants was finally silent allowing Momo to listen to her own racing heart. She let out a labored laugh and looked up at the two.

“Can we please go back now?” Momo felt and probably looked drained. Seokjin helped the mage down from the table and the three hobbled over to the now calm orb.

“This is simply fascinating.” Seokjin looked up at the spinning orb in awe.

“What is this thing?” Mina asked as she supported Momo on her shoulder.

“I have no idea! This is amazing, absolutely amazing.” Seokjin carefully observed the glowing scripture surrounding the outside of the orb. “The Archmage need to be informed immediately. He needs to see this for himself. I don’t dare leave this unattended. Can you two return to the college and inform Park Jinyoung of this discovery?”

Momo seemed too exhausted to respond so Mina nodded yes for the both of them. The young mages slowly and carefully made their way back to the excavation site. They met with the others near the entrance and explained what was going on then the group of apprentices left for the college.

  
~ ~ ~

  
The College of Winterhold lay silent under the midnight sky. The heavy snowfall had stopped for the night and only a soft sprinkle of flakes dusted over the sleeping building. Earlier the college had been teaming with chaos as a group of apprentices returned with incredible news of a historic discovery. Many students and staff had celebrated their findings but now all was silent. All members of the college were asleep at curfew, all but one.

A long figure covered in a dark cloak quietly made their way through the courtyard and into the Hall of Elements. An unnatural blue hue had taken over the lecture hall. The massive artifact previously celebrated had been moved from the ruins it was found inside to the center of the meeting hall. Its glowing lettering sent magical blue light throughout the room including intruding visitors. The cloaked figure steadily approached the rotation artifact, they too were drawn in by its raw magical power.

“Finally.”

Ancano removed the hood of his cloak to get the full impact of the orb’s power. He greedily pressed his hands again the outer shell of the orb, feeling the pure magic seep into him.

“The power to command all… I am… _unstoppable_.”

~ ~ ~


	4. Don't tell Dahyun! (Tzuyu)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1296 quick words to get a jump into this new present-day world (AU time)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to help organize this when it turns into a mess, i'm going to put the member who the chapter is mostly about in the title.
> 
> also, pro tip from your friendly islandonce, listening to September on repeat is what makes someone a good person.   
> 10/10 would recommend.

~ ~ ~

 

"You know what this means... don't you," Momo's serious voice wiped the smiles off of everyone's faces.  
   
"It's time for the fight of the species... Dragons verse Humans.”

“Woah Woah, let’s be inclusive here miss Archmage. Don’t forget the Elves, the Orcs, the Kahjit, the Argonians-“

“Okay, I’m sorry Dahyun I’ll try to be more inclusive when speaking about the end of the world.” Momo limped over to the small thief and gave her a light smack across the head. 

Said small thief pouted with her arms crossed but didn’t move to argue anymore. The group of six stood out in the snowfall next to the freshly absorbed dragon. Speaking of the freshly absorbed dragon, Tzuyu still couldn’t believe that she was, in fact, the Dragonborn. The exact person who she had been researching for the past week. She could feel all the dragon's ancient magical power flowing through her. It was new and strange and something she would have to get used to. If someone had walked up to her while she was still at the Bards College and told her she was a human with the power of a dragon, she would have thought they were a Skooma addict. 

She was very thankful to the five women standing next to her for helping her through her… transition. Everything was heightened; her sense of smell, taste, sight, sound, even the world around her felt different. The snow was strangely not as cold as it once was and the winter wind flowing through the air felt sharp against her skin. She could sense the life of the creatures hidden in the nearby forest. It was all a bit overwhelming for the young Dragonborn.

When they got back to the college, Momo had requested for Tzuyu and Mina to meet her in her chambers. Chaeyoung, being Tzuyu’s best friend and all, refused to leave her side so she tagged along up to the Archmage’s room. Momo allowed Chaeyoung to stay watch before beginning.

“So… you’re the Dragonborn,” Momo smiled in awe up at Tzuyu.

“I guess so…” Tzuyu looked down at her hands and softly smiled to herself.

“We can see that you look different, but do you feel any different?” Mina, seated across from Chaeyoung with quill and an open jar of ink, asked.

“Everything is a lot louder and brighter. I just feel sensitive to everything.” Mina nodded at the Dragonborn’s words and began scribbling on a piece of parchment. 

“That’s why we’re here right now; let’s see what you can do.” 

They started with physical tests and observations. Momo measured and they ended up assuming that Tzuyu had grown at least four centimeters taller. Chaeyoung wasn’t too happy about those numbers and, with her new advanced hearing, Tzuyu caught her friend mumble under her breathe about how she’d be happy with just one centimeter. Next, they weighed her and concluded that she had gained around three kg of pure muscle. Momo then had her change out of her robes, behind the Archmage’s separating wall of course, and into an un-enchanted tunic and comfortable pants. The Archmage asked if she felt any change in temperature but the Dragonborn shook her head.

Next, they continued by confirming the enhanced senses. Her ability to see, hear, and smell was much more sensitive than any normal human. Momo tried to examine the Dragonborn’s sense of taste by bringing her three different types of food: chicken, beef, and, reluctantly, pork. Tzuyu had never been a very big fan of meat, she much preferred bread, but with her new enhanced senses, her mouth seemed to water at the sent alone. The Archmage couldn’t risk her precious jokbal so instead, she had retrieved a rack of ribs. She drizzled her favorite special sauce across the top of the meal, a sweet but tangy dark sauce that hit all the right taste buds. Momo was going to try to get the Dragonborn to guess what each type of meat was but once she saw Tzuyu’s pupils dilate from her offering, Momo quickly set down the plate and ran to the other side of the room. Momo shed a silent tear as she watched Tzuyu devour her smoked chicken, grilled beef, and rack of ribs. The only thing Mina wrote in her notes was “Change in apatite, level: severe.”

She had also built up a sudden tolerance from the cold. Momo had Chaeyoung test this by giving the younger an ice cube and telling her to stick it down Tzuyu’s shirt. Chaeyoung waited patiently for Tzuyu to start another test before casually slipping the ice into the younger’s shirt. This was also when the four learned of Tzuyu’s super strength. One ice pack and a bruised Chaeyoung later, Momo had moved the tests outside to the roof. The Archmage wished to see if Tzuyu had any resistance to magic now that her Dragonborn abilities were activated. Tzuyu, still in her casual apparel, held out her arm while Momo held a small flame near her skin. Mina and Chaeyoung stood nearby, both holding a pale of water in case anything went wrong. 

Tzuyu didn’t feel any of the heat while Momo moved the magical fire back and forth under her arm, but once she had held it in one position then she finally felt the flame. Next was ice. Momo slowly applied freezing magic against her skin waiting for a reaction from the Dragonborn which she didn’t get until ice crystals had started to form against her skin. Momo also tried lightning magic but that immediately made Tzuyu shriek and recoil backwards. Mina and Chaeyoung, who hadn’t been paying much attention and started a small game of rock paper scissors, jumped into action and tossed the water at both Momo and Tzuyu. The four returned to Momo's chambers with the chattering Archmage and a giggling Dragonborn.

The final test was to see the limits of Tzuyu’s stamina. Once both were dry, Momo asked Tzuyu a very important question.

“How many pushups could you do before you changed?”

“P-p-pushups?” Tzuyu looked horrified at the word, “You’re going to have me do pushups?”

“Yes, pushups and pull-ups as well, maybe even some sit ups too,” Momo called out as she cleared a space for the Dragonborn to perform. Tzuyu turned and found Chaeyoung smirking at her in the corner.

The Dragonborn reluctantly got into position and began. Momo watched her form while Mina counted out loud. The Dragonborn had gotten to 125 when Momo told her to stop. The fact that Tzuyu had just punched off 125 pushups and hadn’t even broken a sweat made Momo kind of nervous for the other exercises. 

“That is so not fair,” Momo mumbled under her breath as she summoned a glowing bar for the Dragonborn to hang off of. Momo showed her the correct form then dropped down to let Tzuyu have a go. All three woman were mesmerized as Tzuyu went up then down, then up and down, again and again… and again… and again. Chaeyoung and Momo’s jaws had practically dropped to the floor while Mina was so distracted she hadn’t written anything in her notes. The Dragonborn’s muscles flexed with every rep and bulged against her casual clothing. After Tzuyu had felt relatively out of breath she dropped down from the pull-up bar and turned to face the others. 

“Umm… Mina, you have a little,” Tzuyu innocently pointed at her nose and the mage snapped out of her muscle induced trance. Mina whipped the back of her hand against her nostrils and was shocked to see blood. Quite a few drops even fell onto her unwritten notes. The others broke out in hysterical laughter as Mina looked up at them in horror.

“Please don’t tell Dahyun!”

 

~ ~ ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short but it's also what kinda sent me into post-Oblivion creative mode for coming up with a new plot.
> 
> Please leave comments they keep me writing and make my day. <3 <3 <3

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading my word dumps. 
> 
>  
> 
> tell me what you think in the comments, it's very much appreciated.


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